DART RideShare Celebrates 20 Years of Service

During October, DART RideShare celebrates 20 years of providing a sustainable transportation alternative in Central Iowa. The program helps commuters locate others with like travel patterns to share rides in vanpools.

“The average RideShare commuter travels 80 miles round trip and spends nearly two hours in their van each day,” said DART Commission Chair Steve Peterson. “RideShare increases mobility and fosters economic growth. We’re helping connect hundreds of employers in Greater Des Moines with talented individuals from all over Central Iowa.”

RideShare began in October 1995 with five vanpools traveling into Polk County. Today it has nearly 90 vanpools in operation, keeping more than 10 million miles off the road and more than 2,500 metric tons of carbon dioxide out of the air in the past year. 

“By taking hundreds of single-occupancy vehicles off busy roadways, RideShare helps reduce traffic congestion, road maintenance costs and pollution emissions in the region,” said Peterson.

To celebrate its 20th anniversary DART RideShare is offering 20 percent off the first full month’s fare to any new riders who join a vanpool by Oct. 31.